What do you do when you hit the top of your game? When you have “been there, done that”. People work so hard, keeping their nose to the grindstone then look up and realize they have achieved their goals and more. At that moment they suddenly face the reality of no more prizes to win, departments to head or projects to lead. What was a great race has become an impressive resume with few if any mountains to climb.
Over three hundred years ago the Queen of Sweden said these words. Obviously she had experienced being at the top AND Figured out how to stay motivated and moving forward. Surpass oneself always…a great reminder to us all that when we think we’ve done it all, there is always more that can be done. When we lose our challenges we often lose motivation. Working to surpass ourselves – whatever we have done, gained, achieved, THAT is a worthy challenge. Not because we need to win everything, because we need to keep moving forward with new goals and ideas. Motion is lotion for our brains, our bodies and our spirit.
Maybe the next thing is a side project, an idea that has been nagging away in the recesses of your brain waiting for some attention. Maybe it is a new idea, a departure from your regular days. Maybe it is a collaboration, an off shoot. Maybe it is taking something you’ve done to the next level, or releasing that creative passion by taking it off the shelf and diving in head first. Maybe it is rearranging an old conquest and transforming it into a new hybrid version. Or maybe you haven’t looked into it yet? You’re realizing that won, done, fabulous means it is time for a new challenge and idea to keep that forward motion moving forward.
The only real person you need to impress is yourself. The person to keep satisfied, challenged and growing is the one you have been living with all your life…and that would be you! If you feel a little like you could phone in a day’s work and no one would notice, maybe it is time to surpass yourself even if only you know it.
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